Devil's Advocate: The Varsity Letter is an award given for specific achievements, in this case playing on the Varsity basketball team. The student in question did not accomplish those achievements, therefore they should not be given the award.
People with special needs should be given accommodations and adaptations in order for certain aspects of life to be made equitable. Ramps should be installed so people with mobility problems can access services and businesses. Students with learning and developmental disabilities should be given more time to complete assignments and tests, or provided with alternate means of demonstrating their ability. This does not mean that all things need to be made "fair". People with mobility difficulties should not be paramedics, people with developmental difficulties should probably not become neurosurgeons.
If the school's policy is to only hand out Varsity letters to members of the Varsity team, making an accommodation for the particular disability of Down syndrome does not seem equitable. Why does that disability merit this type of special attention, but let's say there is a person who suffers from dwarfism who attends the school, should they also be given the award?
It's totally reasonable to argue that the school should alter its policies around awarding Varsity letters, but I see no reason why, as the policy currently is, an exception should be made in this specific case.
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